The Health Benefits of Making Your Own Juice

You’ve probably heard a co-worker say at some point that they were on a ‘cleanse’ and thought they were a little off their rocker. But maybe you’re intrigued at the idea of making your own fresh fruit and/or vegetable juice. You might wonder what health benefits you might gain when you drink juice made in your own kitchen (rather than store bought products full of preservatives). So, let’s look at some of the proven health benefits of fresh juice.

The Possibilities Are Endless

When you make your own juice at home, you can combine just about anything you want into it. This means you can make a fruit juice but add carrots to it if that’s what you like. Or, you can incorporate leafy greens, like spinach, giving you a boost in minerals like iron as well as adding fiber. You can customize your juice to what tastes best to you (though it might not taste good to your spouse!). And juicing fruits is an excellent way to get in your 8-10 servings of fruit daily.

Adding Fiber

Fiber is an excellent nutrient that helps keep things… flowing, if you get the idea. But many people don’t get enough fiber in the foods they eat, or don’t get the right kind of fiber. Whole fruits are a high source of fiber, but you lose some of that in juice, unless you buy juice with the pulp left in. The fiber in fruits has been proven to lower some types of cholesterol.

Juicing your apples with the skins on will add extra fiber to your juice. Adding other things like carrots and spinach or kale are other ways you can incorporate more fiber (and flavor) to your juice.

Ease Your Digestive Tract

Fresh juice is easier for the body to digest, so anyone who has digestive issues should regularly drink it. When you drink fresh juice, the nutrients begin to be absorbed into the body right away. This aids in getting all the nutrients your body needs. It will also help the additional fiber you take in to keep things moving as they should.

Increase Your Nutrient Load

Fresh juice, like prepackaged products, is packed with vitamins and minerals. But you’ll also gain additional nutrients like flavonoids and enzymes that are often lost in the pasteurization or storage process. One study even claims fresh juice has more antiviral properties than juice bought in the store, a key factor during cold and flu season. By drinking fresh juice, you can consume more nutrients more quickly than you could by simply eating the same servings of the foods.

Lose Weight and Lower Blood Pressure

Uncooked foods (up to 60 percent of total calorie intake per day) have been found to help with weight loss and lowering blood pressure. Juice made of apples, raspberries, and blackberries is especially helpful for weight loss, as it’s high in fiber.

Control Your Sugar Intake

You can make fresh fruit juices without adding any additional sugar. This is an excellent option for people who have diabetes and must closely monitor their sugar intake. Fruit sugar, fructose, is a healthier alternative to other types of sugar since they all have the same effect in the body.

Avoid the Additives

When you make juice at home, you avoid all the preservatives and additives that the processing plant uses to keep boxed juice fresh and stable. You can make enough juice for one meal, or you can make it to keep for a day or two. But you won’t be taking in all those other chemicals that you’ll find in store bought products.

Eat the Stuff You Don’t Like

Juicing allows you to add some foods that you might not care for whole. You may not like the taste of spinach, for example, but by adding a little to a juice with a strong, fruity taste, you won’t be able to taste the spinach as much. This earns you the benefit of the food product without giving you the yuck.

Isn’t It Difficult, and Messy, To Make Juice?

Juicing can be messy, but when you get used to doing it, you can probably keep a pretty clean work area. Of course, this also depends on the machine you purchase to make your juice. It’s easy enough to get the facts on a range of available products so you can find the right one for you and your family.

Juicing is an excellent way to earn yourself important health benefits. You don’t have to take in the chemical preservatives, you can increase your daily intake of fruits and veggies, and you can make juice combinations that suit your palate. You’ll add fiber to your diet without even trying and you’ll be able to better control your sugar intake, too. Making your own juice is a tasty road to a healthier you!